Rail vehicles must maintain specific braking distances in traffic and, in particular, come to a stop at points signaled to them beforehand. Rail vehicles are braked according to precisely defined criteria, inter alia deceleration characteristics, the observance of which is relevant to ensuring economic and safe operation of the rail vehicles. Various types of brakes are involved in each braking operation of a modern rail vehicle (friction brake, electrodynamic brake, electromagnetic rail brake and eddy current brake). Each of these brakes has its specific advantages, such as a speed or performance range, in which it functions most effectively or most economically with regard to wear. Each brake type has in this case specific tolerances and imprecisions in applying the braking force which leads to undesirable variations in the braking force achieved over the course of the braking process.